2021-2022 Minnesota, Twin Cities

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Please feel free to tag a pre-medical moderator when the secondary prompt is posted.

Good luck to everyone applying!

Interview feedback:

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Good morning all!

I'm a re-applicant that applied to UMN - Twin Cities last year. I interviewed at both Duluth (got WL) and the Twin Cities (post-II R) and I am going to copy/paste all of the insight posts here. Hopefully this answers some common questions and gives people some insight into the interview process.

Disclaimer: I cannot guarantee that all of this is 100% relevant. However, I did have a one-on-one feedback session with the UMN - Duluth admissions staff, and they confirmed that a lot of this stuff is still relevant or will be the same this coming year. They also confirmed that a lot of this is relevant for the Twin Cities campus, which is why I am including it here.

Secondary Prompts: Each of these has a 1500 character limit.
-Note: I do not know of any rule that prohibits secondary prompts from being shared. If such a rule exists, please let me know and I will take these down.
-Tell us about a time when you recovered from a non-academic setback. How did you recognize the setback and what steps did you take to recover?
-Tell us about a time when you advocated for someone or something? What did you learn from this situation?
- Tell us about a time when you observed, personally experienced, or acted with implicit or explicit bias. Through either situation we are interested in what you learned.
-Please tell us about your identity. How has your identity impacted the development of your values and your attitude toward others, particularly those with values different from your own? How will this impact your future patients through the practice of medicine?
-Why do you want to go to medical school in the state of MN? (Consider the state of Minnesota and your interest in the University of Minnesota.)
-The COVID-19 pandemic has created innumerable challenges and loss and uncharted territory in public health. Please share with us your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with navigating COVID-19. Please tell us what impact, if any, this has had on your path to medical school.
-Our country is reckoning with its history, racism, racial injustice, and especially anti-black racism. Please share your reflections on, experiences with, and greatest lessons learned about systemic racism.
-What other pertinent information would you like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee? This is an opportunity for you to discuss an aspect of your journey to medicine that you have not already presented in your application. You may also update us with any current experiences that were not included in your AMCAS application. (Optional)

On Timelines:
Duluth:
Secondary - July 29th
Interview Invite - Aug 25th
Interview - Sept 14th (first day of interviews)

Twin Cities:
Secondary - August 2nd (?)
Interview Invite - Sept 10th
Interview - Oct 13th (second day of interviews, first is Oct 8th)

On Interviews:
Just did my interview.

Obviously can't say much because they make us sign an NDA, but regardless of if I get accepted or not, that was one of the easiest interviews I have ever done for anything in my entire life. I genuinely think it was easier than the Duluth interview.

None of the MMI stations were even remotely complicated, no curveball questions, and really relaxed and easygoing environment. If you do this interview, go in prepared but relaxed and you'll rock it 100%.

Also, they mentioned that the first review of applications doesn't start until next week and they are expecting to notify us of their decision in 4-6 weeks (it will take longer if you are interviewed later in the cycle).

Few other random tidbits:
-They don't accept any updates after your interview day.
-The admissions committee won't know if you sent any "thank you" letters/emails.
-The admissions committee only knows if you are a re-applicant or not, but they have no information on any prior applications.
-Waitlist isn't ranked until the spring and if you are on the waitlist you won't hear anything until after March at the earliest.

the "short traditional interview" is also very short.

There was only time for some standard questions with very little follow-up.

On Updates:
If I remember correctly, you can give updates "until" interview day.

Post-Interview Process:
[Concerning receiving a survey post-II prior to any decisions] It's anonymous feedback. Basically a survey.

I was told 4-6 weeks. I interviewed Oct 13th.

Acceptances ultimately go to an executive ADCOM committee that oversees both schools (note: your application to one school has no bearing on if you'll be accepted to the other). The actual decisions and acceptance releases are roughly on the same timeline this year.

For those who have interviews, are you all assuming that “day 2” will be the day after your interview?

No.

Duluth's "day 2" is about 10 days later, and I am assuming that the Twin Cities will have a somewhat similar structure (i.e. multiple days later, maybe not even the same week).

Just had an application review session with the [Duluth] admissions office. Got some interesting insight for those that are curious about both this cycle and next cycle.

-Applying this cycle [2021-2022] was significantly more competitive than other cycles. Waiving the MCAT made it much more competitive due to considering a significantly higher number of students (they didn't look at the MCAT at all when sending out II's). This also meant that they interviewed significantly more people overall. They will be going back to requiring the MCAT next cycle, and I was told that this immediately improves the chances of anyone who has a strong MCAT score. [Same for Twin Cities]
-Interviews next year [2021-2022] will still be virtual and still use the same format. [Same for Twin Cities]
-The timeline for processing applications and sending out invites [in 2021-2022] will revert back to the timeline prior to COVID-19 - secondaries at the end of July, II's at the end of August, interviews start at the beginning of September, first round of A's sent out Oct 15th.
-The actual process for looking at and grading applications/interviews may change and is up in the air. Apparently there is a lot of vague, high-level talk between the deans of the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses about their processes.
-Duluth (and it was hinted that the Twin Cities is like this as well) isn't a "check-the-box" style admissions office. If you don't have any shadowing experience but describe meaningfully similar experiences in paid positions or something else, then they are fine with that. If you don't have a recent letter of recommendation from a science professor but have recent academic experiences that show that you can succeed, they're fine with that. They're also fine with letters from non-medical personnel, midlevel providers, etc. that still speak to your experience and ability from a supervisory or leadership standpoint.
-Confirmed that 1) applying early is better (when they start reviewing applications in the summer, they start with the first applications submitted) and 2) they don't start looking at anything at all until the end of July. Implied that this is similar at most schools in the region.

For the Twin Cities in particular:
-They are much more susceptible to falling behind on the overall application schedule due to the higher number of applications they receive. They will almost certainly be behind Duluth in terms of timeline.
-It is very important to apply as early as possible. I didn't follow the situation incredibly closely last year (as I got my Post-II R in November), but I was an M.S. student in the medical school and the spring time was a huge fiasco; pretty much anyone who interviewed in the spring got mass rejections because there were just too many applicants. Furthermore, a lot of applicants weren't hearing any post-II decisions until well into May.
-Rejection emails contain limited personalized feedback on your application, but further feedback isn't available. Personal feedback meetings are also not available.
 
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Hey everyone! I’m an incoming MS1 here. StraTos_SpeAr posted a pretty comprehensive overview, but let me know if I can answer any other questions about UMN or the application process!
 
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Hello, IS applicant here. Currently prewriting secondaries. My LM score is ~64 but I have a compelling story and strong LORs so hoping for the best!
 
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Hi all! OOS applicant but I am from Minnesota and did my undergrad there, hoping to go back! LM is around 70.

Anyone get their secondary yet?
I submitted on day one and haven’t heard anything. I think UMN is usually pretty slow to send out secondaries.
 
I submitted on day one and haven’t heard anything. I think UMN is usually pretty slow to send out secondaries.
UMN secondaries don't get sent out until the end of July (for both campuses).

This has been my experience the past two years applying and it was confirmed to me by admissions personnel at Duluth.

They don't even look at your application until around then. They're probably all on vacation right now.
 
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OOS resident now but went to and graduated high school in Suburbs. Stats are exactly at the average for OOS msar minus 1 sub section score that was lower... kinda nervous about that. :) Good luck everyone!
 
I just received the email from the University of Minnesota asking me to specify which campuses I'm applying to.

The Twin Cities campus's response email after I selected their campus said that their secondary application screening process takes "quite some time", for anyone that is curious. This is in contrast to Duluth's, which states that it takes "up to two weeks".
 
Just received the campus selection email as well.
 
IS secondary received at 7pm CDT!

Prompts:

Tell us about a time when you recovered from a non-academic setback. How did you recognize the setback and what steps did you take to recover? 1500 characters

Tell us about a time when you advocated for someone or something? What did you learn from this situation? 1500 characters

Tell us about a time when you observed, personally experienced, or acted with implicit or explicit bias. Through either situation we are interested in what you learned. 1500 characters

Please tell us about your identity. How has your identity impacted the development of your values and your attitude toward others, particularly those with values different from your own? How will this impact your future patients through the practice of medicine? 1500 characters

Why do you want to go to medical school in the state of MN? (Consider the state of Minnesota and your interest in the University of Minnesota.) 1500 characters

The COVID-19 pandemic has created innumerable challenges and loss and uncharted territory in public health. Please share with us your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with navigating COVID-19. Please tell us what impact, if any, this has had on your path to medical school. 1500 characters

Our country is reckoning with its history, racism, racial injustice, and especially anti-black racism. Please share your reflections on, experiences with, and greatest lessons learned about systemic racism. 1500 characters

What other pertinent information would you like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee? This is an opportunity for you to discuss an aspect of your journey to medicine that you have not already presented in your application. You may also update us with any current experiences that were not included in your AMCAS application. (Optional) 900 characters
 
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Got the secondary yesterday evening. Here's the email's wording:

We are pleased to invite you to complete the supplemental application for the University of Minnesota Medical School-Twin Cities. You are strongly encouraged to submit the supplemental application within two weeks of receiving our request, with the final deadline being November 15, 2021. Applications completed within the suggested two week timeframe will be given priority in the review process. Once you submit your supplemental application materials, your file is considered complete. Interviews are offered on a rolling basis until all slots are filled throughout the cycle from August through March. Once slots have filled we will stop making interview offers.

After the interview has taken place, an interview report is added to the applicant's file. The entire file is then reviewed by the Admissions Committee for a final decision. Applicants will receive a final decision 10-12 weeks after their interview. We appreciate your patience with our process as it takes time to carefully review each candidate's application.

I bolded some important parts:

1) If interviews really do start in August, that's a full two months earlier than last year.
2) 10-12 weeks is double the amount of review time that they said it would take last year.

And here's the email you get once you submit the secondary:

All of your supplemental materials have been received and your Twin Cities MD application is now considered complete.

During the initial phase of the review process your academic profile, contributions to diversity, personal statement, and medically related, research and human service experiences in addition to other experiences and application components are evaluated.

We will make every effort to send you a decision regarding an interview as soon as possible.

"As soon as possible".

Feels like they're covering themselves after the fiasco they had last year!

I wonder if interviews really will be set up for August. That would be quite nice.
 
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OOS with no ties, have not yet received a secondary. Going to start pre-writing using these prompts and hope for next week!
 
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Just wanted to share some encouragement to submit secondaries ASAP!!

Minnesota reviews apps largely chronologically, and last cycle it seemed like those who interviewed early had a drastically higher likelihood of acceptance.
 
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Any idea when MSTP secondaries come through?
 
I am a reapplicant to the Twin Cities (applied last cycle, IS and was on the WL for an eternity and a half) and I wanted to get some opinions on the Other Pertinent Info optional essay. Would it be a good idea to use this space to explain what I've done since the last cycle to improve my application and readiness for medical school? All of these activities are on my primary, but I didn't know if explaining exactly what I've done since my last application would be beneficial especially if they'll know that I am a reapplicant. Thanks!
 
I am a reapplicant to the Twin Cities (applied last cycle, IS and was on the WL for an eternity and a half) and I wanted to get some opinions on the Other Pertinent Info optional essay. Would it be a good idea to use this space to explain what I've done since the last cycle to improve my application and readiness for medical school? All of these activities are on my primary, but I didn't know if explaining exactly what I've done since my last application would be beneficial especially if they'll know that I am a reapplicant. Thanks!
I think that's something that's really a roll of the dice. The prompt is very open-ended, so the wording allows it, but there's also no way to know if that was the intent of the question.

Ultimately its up to you if you think that the strength of your application can carry you to an interview where you might get the chance to explain your reapplicant status or if you need to include it here. I don't think there's a correct answer.
 
I think that's something that's really a roll of the dice. The prompt is very open-ended, so the wording allows it, but there's also no way to know if that was the intent of the question.

Ultimately its up to you if you think that the strength of your application can carry you to an interview where you might get the chance to explain your reapplicant status or if you need to include it here. I don't think there's a correct answer.
Thank you for your input! I agree that it's kind of a tricky situation. On the one hand, they could see that I'm a reapplicant and wonder what, if anything, I had done since the last cycle... but on the other hand, all it might do is bring attention to the fact that I didn't get in the first time. :unsure:
 
Thank you for your input! I agree that it's kind of a tricky situation. On the one hand, they could see that I'm a reapplicant and wonder what, if anything, I had done since the last cycle... but on the other hand, all it might do is bring attention to the fact that I didn't get in the first time. :unsure:
Don't overthink it.

Just optimize the strength of each part of your application process. Don't try to game the system our else you're just going to stress yourself out too much.

Just changing up the impression you give in the interview could drastically alter your chances of getting in. There are so many variables that it isn't worth the effort to highlight this unless they explicitly ask about your reapplicant status.

For reference, this is my third time applying. My first cycle I got a pre-II R at Twin Cities and last year I got an II. I didn't put any effort into highlighting what I did over that extra year, I just added activities to my primary and talked about relevant things in my secondary. When they sent me the R email, they basically chalked it up to last year being extra competitive with the increased number of applicants. All they asked for me to do if I reapplied was to "update" my experiences (in the primary) and my letters of recommendation.
 
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Been verified for a while and no secondary yet (mstp)?
 
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I am a reapplicant to the Twin Cities (applied last cycle, IS and was on the WL for an eternity and a half) and I wanted to get some opinions on the Other Pertinent Info optional essay. Would it be a good idea to use this space to explain what I've done since the last cycle to improve my application and readiness for medical school? All of these activities are on my primary, but I didn't know if explaining exactly what I've done since my last application would be beneficial especially if they'll know that I am a reapplicant. Thanks!
Hi! I was in the same boat this past cycle and I used the last question to talk about what I've done since my last application and why I'm more prepared. I think they would appreciate that you're highlighting how you've improved.
 
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"Tell us about a time when you advocated for someone or something? What did you learn from this situation?"

I was a volunteer advocate for a family planning clinic (abortion clinic lol)... if I use appropriate language, ie family planning, do you think I can write about it? UMN med school has a pro-choice student organization ...
 
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"Tell us about a time when you advocated for someone or something? What did you learn from this situation?"

I was a volunteer advocate for a family planning clinic (abortion clinic lol)... if I use appropriate language, ie family planning, do you think I can write about it? UMN med school has a pro-choice student organization ...
I think this is good example to use but I agree on being careful with the specific language, especially since an individual adcom member reviewing your application might have different views than you or the UMN. Family planning, reproductive health services, etc (anything that is relevant to your position) seem like safe bets
 
How are people approaching the "Why MN?" question in terms of balancing stuff about the state vs UMN itself? Last year's prompt focused specifically on the state and I really liked my essay for it, so I'm having trouble changing it. It's probably 80% state and 20% UMN at this point, but should it be more 50/50?
 
How are people approaching the "Why MN?" question in terms of balancing stuff about the state vs UMN itself? Last year's prompt focused specifically on the state and I really liked my essay for it, so I'm having trouble changing it. It's probably 80% state and 20% UMN at this point, but should it be more 50/50?
I think it somewhat depends on what your personal motivations are! I mentioned my family all living nearby and a few of my favorite things about the state, then several reasons why I love UMN. For me it was about 50/50, but that's because I felt like when I was talking about the state as a whole it sounded a little generic and nonspecific.
 
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How are people approaching the "Why MN?" question in terms of balancing stuff about the state vs UMN itself? Last year's prompt focused specifically on the state and I really liked my essay for it, so I'm having trouble changing it. It's probably 80% state and 20% UMN at this point, but should it be more 50/50?
You're over-thinking this.

Just write whatever is most compelling. If you don't have anything compelling to write about the school itself but plenty about the state, then focus on the MN portion. Trying to ham fist in some faked, canned lines about "why the school" when you could write something much more interesting about "why the state" will probably leave you worse off.
 
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Any reason to not apply to both campuses as a MN resident? I dont have significant rural experience but wouldn't mind rural med, not super interested in it tho... would prefer to go to TC but would also prefer to stay in MN and go to Duluth over other schools. Should I apply to both?
 
Any reason to not apply to both campuses as a MN resident? I dont have significant rural experience but wouldn't mind rural med, not super interested in it tho... would prefer to go to TC but would also prefer to stay in MN and go to Duluth over other schools. Should I apply to both?
Current student in the Twin Cities, not 'expert' information by any means just my 2 cents... They are vastly different campuses with different curriculums, structures etc.

The Duluth campus is much much smaller and the class tends to be very close/spend a lot of time together. TC campus is very large, many members of my class have still never met each other after 1 year (we had a hybrid format last year). Life is also obviously very different in the TC vs Duluth.

Duluth's mission is heavily focused on rural/cultural competency/native americans, which is reflected in their curriculum/research/opportunities. I would say the TC has less of a focus on any particular thing and is very broad and students have to engage with/carve out a specific focus if they are interested in one.

Their curriculums (while both are great!) are extremely different. ( Duluth 1st year, Duluth 2nd year, TC 1st year, TC 2nd year). I imagine this would also impact the formats/day to day schedule of classes (although I'm not sure on specifics) so if you have a specific learning style or preference for small groups vs large group, in person vs virtual, required vs optional etc this might be relevant. Duluth also has electives while for the most part TC does not.

All of this only applies to the first 2 years of medical school. For 3rd and 4th year the 2 campuses are effectively merged into one class and they have equal access to all clinical rotations/sites (as far as I'm aware). So while there aren't any differences during the clinical years, there is the added element of the ~50 Duluth students merging with the ~170 TC students.

There are probably more differences and at the end of the day maybe they don't matter to you and you'd be happy at either campus. But if you feel like you wouldn't thrive at either the TC campus or Duluth campus, I wouldn't apply to both just because they're both in MN or because it will 'increase your chances' or anything like that. Every medical school you apply to should be a place you're genuinely excited to be at and think would be a good fit for you!

Medical school is awesome and becoming a physician is the biggest privilege there is, but I cannot stress enough that if you do not enjoy the environment you're in, if you don't like the way content is presented/organized, if you're dissatisfied with the lens through which concepts are explained, if your learning style doesn't mesh with the curriculum, if you won't be happy living there during your time outside of the classroom etc. it will be really tough.

You're about to dedicate years of your life and countless hours of your time to this institution. If it's a good fit, it can be one of the best experiences of your life, even during the hard moments. If it's a bad fit, you can still get through and still get to be a physician at the end, but it won't be the same experience by any means.
 
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Any reason to not apply to both campuses as a MN resident? I dont have significant rural experience but wouldn't mind rural med, not super interested in it tho... would prefer to go to TC but would also prefer to stay in MN and go to Duluth over other schools. Should I apply to both?
It won't necessarily hurt, but if you can't express your explicit interest in rural/Native American medicine and, more specifically, family med/primary care, then there's pretty much no chance that you'll get in.

They hammer those topics pretty heavily and both interviewers asked me about it last year. You'll even get some skeptical looks if you are from the Twin Cities area and otherwise don't have much experience with rural life. I have a friend that got a post-II R a couple years ago and she was told that this was an issue with her application (she grew up in an upscale suburb in the Twin Cities).

Duluth being mission-oriented is no joke, and they really look for people that are actually dedicated to their mission.
 
Current student in the Twin Cities, not 'expert' information by any means just my 2 cents... They are vastly different campuses with different curriculums, structures etc.

The Duluth campus is much much smaller and the class tends to be very close/spend a lot of time together. TC campus is very large, many members of my class have still never met each other after 1 year (we had a hybrid format last year). Life is also obviously very different in the TC vs Duluth.

Duluth's mission is heavily focused on rural/cultural competency/native americans, which is reflected in their curriculum/research/opportunities. I would say the TC has less of a focus on any particular thing and is very broad and students have to engage with/carve out a specific focus if they are interested in one.

Their curriculums (while both are great!) are extremely different. ( Duluth 1st year, Duluth 2nd year, TC 1st year, TC 2nd year). I imagine this would also impact the formats/day to day schedule of classes (although I'm not sure on specifics) so if you have a specific learning style or preference for small groups vs large group, in person vs virtual, required vs optional etc this might be relevant. Duluth also has electives while for the most part TC does not.

All of this only applies to the first 2 years of medical school. For 3rd and 4th year the 2 campuses are effectively merged into one class and they have equal access to all clinical rotations/sites (as far as I'm aware). So while there aren't any differences during the clinical years, there is the added element of the ~50 Duluth students merging with the ~170 TC students.

There are probably more differences and at the end of the day maybe they don't matter to you and you'd be happy at either campus. But if you feel like you wouldn't thrive at either the TC campus or Duluth campus, I wouldn't apply to both just because they're both in MN or because it will 'increase your chances' or anything like that. Every medical school you apply to should be a place you're genuinely excited to be at and think would be a good fit for you!

Medical school is awesome and becoming a physician is the biggest privilege there is, but I cannot stress enough that if you do not enjoy the environment you're in, if you don't like the way content is presented/organized, if you're dissatisfied with the lens through which concepts are explained, if your learning style doesn't mesh with the curriculum, if you won't be happy living there during your time outside of the classroom etc. it will be really tough.

You're about to dedicate years of your life and countless hours of your time to this institution. If it's a good fit, it can be one of the best experiences of your life, even during the hard moments. If it's a bad fit, you can still get through and still get to be a physician at the end, but it won't be the same experience by any means.
Gotcha. I graduated from UMN, fam is from Duluth, grew up in a suburb, currently live/work in the cities- so I'm familiar. I went ahead and marked both on my pre-secondary selection but I would 100% choose TC over Duluth in a heartbeat. Is it bad if I dont submit a secondary to Duluth? I wanted to submit to TC asap cuz its my #1 choice school but didnt want to limit my options with Duluth so I selected both campuses.
 
It won't necessarily hurt, but if you can't express your explicit interest in rural/Native American medicine and, more specifically, family med/primary care, then there's pretty much no chance that you'll get in.

They hammer those topics pretty heavily and both interviewers asked me about it last year. You'll even get some skeptical looks if you are from the Twin Cities area and otherwise don't have much experience with rural life. I have a friend that got a post-II R a couple years ago and she was told that this was an issue with her application (she grew up in an upscale suburb in the Twin Cities).

Duluth being mission-oriented is no joke, and they really look for people that are actually dedicated to their mission.
gotcha, I marked both so will it look bad to not submit my secondary to Duluth?
 
gotcha, I marked both so will it look bad to not submit my secondary to Duluth?
I doubt it. I was told my Duluth admissions staff that your application activities to one campus have no effect on the other.

Also, premeds overthink this stuff way too much. If anything, Duluth might be fine with it since it will mean one less application that they don't have to go through.
 
Is it one committee
Two that go to an executive committee.

I'm a reapplicant and included a lot of detailed information in the first reply to both this thread and the Duluth thread. They should give you a pretty good picture about the two different campuses' application process.
 
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I received the campus selection email just now! Waiting for secondaries now. How long did it take for you?
I got my secondary invitation about 10 hours after completing the campus selection email :) If you haven't gotten it yet, I hope you get it soon!
 
I received an email from them saying my MSTP letters and App were received but no secondary link? anyone else?
 
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Just received an email that my application was received but there was no mention / link to the secondary. Anyone else get this? Should we expect another email later with the secondary itself? OOS MSTP applicant
Looked at last year's thread and it seems like they received the secondary 1-2 weeks after getting this email!
 
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Secondaries received yesterday, submitted them today. Now we wait. :)
 
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